4.5" vs 6" wheels

[RICKJ]

Some time ago there was discussion about the safety of driving on stock 4.5" wide wheels . I remember someonewas selling the 6" wheels for around $60 each.

Is is still the concensus that radial tires should be run on 6" wheels ( my 56 Hawk)
Does anyone know who had the wheels , I have searched several of the larger SDC vendors and have not
found them
Rick

[N8N]

Bob Helm, but I don't know if he still has them.

If your '56 still has the stock wheels, they should be 5" not 4.5" - I don't know why Studebaker actually went to a *narrower* wheel for later model cars.

nate

[Mike Van Veghten]

For the best tire support, run a rim width that is equal or slightly wider than the tread width.
This has been pretty much a norm for many years for people that race on either modified street radials (trimming the tread depth) or most race, radial tires.

Do not run a wheel with a narrower rim width than the tire tread width. The gas milage, the handling and the road milage will suffer (mostly the handling will suffer).
Also, normally a tire that has the full or nearly the full, per manufacturer recommended pressure will also handle the best along with tire and gas milage. Though if you have a very light car (under 2500lbs) then experimentation would be the key to learning the correct pressure for a light car.

Mike

[RICKJ]

4.5" vs 6" wheels

I may be wrong on the 4.5" size , just going by memory rather than actual measurement
Rick

[N8N]

your memory is not incorrect, Studebaker *did* use 4.5" wheels. I believe that they were introduced at or about the time they discontinued using clips for dog dish hubcaps. Wheels became 5" again sometime in '65 or '66. Avantis and 63-64 "package" cars also got 5" wide wheels.

nate

[RICKJ]

I just called Bob Helm
He no longer has or can get the 6" WHEELS
His supplier dried up
He suggested that some Mopar wheels might work
Rick

[BobPalma]

For the umpteenth time, the 6" X 15" wheels we are looking for had a mid-1970s Lincoln Versailles application, and carried NWRA (National Wheel & Rim Association) generic part number 40273, or Hayes (as in Kelsey-Hayes) part number 82552.

If anyone scores a stash of those in good condition and current production, buy all of them you can as they've been about extinct for at least a year...but never say never in terms of maybe finding a set. BP

[53k]

I just called Bob Helm
He no longer has or can get the 6" WHEELS
His supplier dried up
He suggested that some Mopar wheels might work
Rick

MoPar wheels are even harder to find. My daughter-in-law is the inventory manager in a large salvage yard and I have had her looking for wheels for some time. Most of the active salvage yards don't get many steel wheels any more. When they do they are from front-wheel drive cars. Most wheels, even a lot of styled wheels, just get shredded.

[41 Frank]

alternatives

I have been looking for some rims for my 63 Daytona for several days and no luck at salvage yards in my town. Like was mentioned here they are all front wheel drive wheels. I am about ready to order a set of the hotrod steelies Wheel Vintiques and Coker sells. They are available in several widths and backspace but run 70 some dollars a piece plus 75.00 shipping. The smoothies are $58.00 a piece.They come with both the 5 x 4 1/2 and 5 X 4 3/4 bolt pattern on the same wheel. They won't work with dog dish hubcaps but I have wheel covers. I'll use metal valve stems to keep the wheel covers from walking. I use them on my 41 rod and they work fine. I also want to put some steel radials on and a couple of my wheels wobble some and are 47 years old!

[Hippie]

MoPar wheels are even harder to find. My daughter-in-law is the inventory manager in a large salvage yard and I have had her looking for wheels for some time. Most of the active salvage yards don't get many steel wheels any more. When they do they are from front-wheel drive cars. Most wheels, even a lot of styled wheels, just get shredded.

Just about any 15" RWD passenger car steel wheel is getting hard to come by. Between demo derbies and high scrap prices they're disappearing fast.

I lucked out and found a '69 Dodge Monaco at the local Pull-A-Part with all five 15 X 6 wheels still with it. My guess is the 440 and Torqueflite got pulled for a project and they scrapped the rest. Kind of a shame because the body and interior were like a two year old one owner low mile trade in.

[41 Frank]

The 15x6 Chrysler OE wheels are now being reproduced by Wheel Vintiques but run $107 a piece, too rich for my blood. The police version runs $85.00. They come in satin black.

[GEEMAC]

41 frank, look for late eighties up to ninety two big ford or mercury, i find them in the smaller salvage yards here in south east iowa. Mac

[41 Frank]

That is going to be my afternoon project today Mac before I give up. This being a large town there are plenty of smaller salvage yards. I will check for Ford rims as Mopar seem to be extinct.

41 frank, look for late eighties up to ninety two big ford or mercury, i find them in the smaller salvage yards here in south east iowa. Mac

[259man]

One thing about the wheels from large Fords (80s to 1992): I found out the hard way Sunday that Studebaker wheel covers won't stay on those wheels. I went back and looked all over for that wheel cover to no avail. Maybe you have different wheel covers in mind, 41Frank.

FWIW, I bought that Ford wheel as a spare at the Pic-a-part only after I couldn't find a fifth Mopar wheel to save my life!

[41 Frank]

Now that is an interesting new twist! I have not found any wheels as of yet but will try again tomorrow. I am planning to use regular full Studebaker wheel covers. I have my eye on some Ford oem wheels from www.ralleyamerica.com if I can't find anything else. Pricey and they have to come from Fresno. Better take a cover with me tomorrow I guess, thanks.

One thing about the wheels from large Fords (80s to 1992): I found out the hard way Sunday that Studebaker wheel covers won't stay on those wheels. I went back and looked all over for that wheel cover to no avail. Maybe you have different wheel covers in mind, 41Frank.

FWIW, I bought that Ford wheel as a spare at the Pic-a-part only after I couldn't find a fifth Mopar wheel to save my life!